Instructions for Buying a Speed Boat ticket from Leticia to La Libertad

(This is a guide for volunteers who need to travel to La Libertad.  Rebecca, a current volunteer, and I made it today.  This explains some of the steps that must be followed to get a boat!)

Instructions for Buying a Speed Boat ticket from Leticia to La Libertad

To get to La Libertad you must take a speed boat (barco rapido) up the river.  A speed boat (1 hour ride) to the village cost about $18,000COP one way.  The speed boat departure times may be at 8am, 10am, and 1:30pm (the times change).  You must purchase the tickets well before departure time, at least 1 hour before as they sometimes sell out quickly.  You must also arrive at the boat dock at least 30 minutes before departure time.

Ticket Offices

Perhaps the easiest way to find the “barco rapido” is to go to the Port of Leticia and ask where the barco rapido may be found.  Almost any resident or police person will know where to find it.

Go all the way down Calle 8 to the port.  When you cannot go any further, take a left and go all the way down to the almost the end of this road.  Then enter the building complex to the left of the street.  This will put you in the general location of the ticket offices.  During the dry season the ticket office is found in this building complex.  The complex is on the river side of the Parque Orellana (by the RED arrow on the map). 

Three different companies share the “barco rapido” transportation business on this section of the Amazon.  The companies are named Lineas Amazonas, Transporte Amazonicas, and Tres Fronteras (last name may be incorrect).  All three businesses are located in the same area of the building, all have clear signs.  Passengers must ask at any one of the businesses who is running the boat for the day that travel is wanted.  A name and passport or document number is required at the time of booking.  A ticket may be purchased a day in advance for an extra fee of 10,000 pesos.

Alternative Office Location

One-half hour before the scheduled boat departure the office moves from the building to the raft from which the boat departs.  This raft is found floating in the river at the port of Leticia.  Its general location is indicated by the YELLOW arrow on the map.

During the rainy season the offices are flooded.  At this time the offices also move to the raft from which the boats operate.  However, not all of the businesses are represented at the raft, only the business which is operating the service for that day.

 

The office building has a roof made of palm leaves

WARNING -the location, times, and prices of the speed boat agency may change.  You must be proactive to secure transportation.  Please be patient and careful.